Home > Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders > Stroke

Definition

A stroke is the sudden death of brain cells in a localized area due to inadequate blood flow.

Description

A stroke occurs when blood flow is interrupted to part of the brain. Without blood to supply oxygen and nutrients and to remove waste products, brain cells quickly begin to die. Depending on the region of the brain affected, a stroke may cause paralysis, speech impairment, a loss of memory and reasoning ability, coma, or death. A stroke is also sometimes called a brain attack or a cerebrovascular accident (CVA).

Some important stroke statistics include:

• More than half a million people in the United States experience a new or recurrent stroke each year.
• Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of disability.
• Stroke kills about 150,000 Americans each year, or almost one out of three stroke victims.
• Three...